POST EPISODE 326: Hinamori and the Two Hitsugaya's
by Lennox Case
Summary: Before he died, he had something he needed to do. He had to see her, even if he was the last person she wanted to see.


POST EPISODE 326: HINAMORI AND THE TWO HITSUGAYA'S

'_Where am I going?' _hazily thought the Captain of the Tenth Squad, well, not exactly. Although he had the appearance, the voice, and the attitude of the youngest captain ever enlisted in the Thirteen Court-Guard Squads, he was far from the real thing. He was a Reigai—a mere clone.

Just until a few days ago, the word, _Reigai_, did not exist. However, at this moment, the Reigai of the captains and lieutenants of the Thirteen Court-Guard Squads were attempting to take over the Soul Society for not only their creator, a man named Kageroza, but for their own sakes as well.

'_That damned Kuchiki_,' he thought limping slowly. '_I almost had him. If only I was just a bit stronger_.'

Looking down at his right palm, he narrowed his eyes on a small, red pill. All Reigai were equipped with this advanced modification of this type of soul candy; it contained everything they had—memories, personality, a life. During his battle with the Captain of the Sixth Squad, he had nearly lost it and he knew that the minute he let it go, it would mean the end of him.

He smiled bitterly at the thought. Everything he was rested in the palm of his hand. What was this? His heart?

'_It's so small.'_

Closing his fist tightly around the object, he became aware of his surroundings and found himself in front of the Twelfth Squad headquarters. He had not yet realized how he managed to get there without realizing, but he knew why he was there and why he must be.

* * *

><p>His slow, pained steps echoed lightly along the whitewashed hallways of the Twelfth Squad recovery center. Unlike the Fourth Squad, the welcoming atmosphere was completely absent. This eerie feeling was also exacerbated by the apparent lack of staff.<p>

"_Ts_k. What kind of hospital is this? It definitely fits Kurotsuchi."

He continued walking through seemingly endless hallways and past a myriad of doors, yet he did so effortlessly. He knew that he, himself, had never been though these halls before; regardless, he knew which path to take.

He stopped in front of a closed door, which had no mark or sign to tell what was behind it. But, he knew she was there. He could feel her spiritual pressure, faint, but steady. The feeling was soothing and warm; yet, why did he suddenly freeze up once he reached his destination? It was almost like this sensation was familiar, yet not at the same time. Was it because he was a—?

'_No! That shouldn't matter,'_ he thought to himself. _'My memories are just as real as __**his**__!'_

Recollecting his thoughts, he braced himself and opened the door. Upon entering, he felt a slight breeze from the open door of the balcony opposite of the room. The bright, winter sun blinded him briefly, and he saw how luminously the light reflected off the white from the walls, the sheets, and to her sleeping face. She had no scars and the wound in her chest seemed to have healed completely. In fact, she looked almost peaceful. As he tread closer, he noticed a glint from the corner of his eye—

"Hitsugaya-kun?"

His eyes shot back to her curious, somewhat groggy, face. She rubbed at her eyes, and he could barely choke out the obvious.

"Hinamori…you're awake." _This sounded familiar_, he thought.

"Mm," she said still getting the sleep out of her eyes. "Lieutenant Kurotsuchi came by a short while ago and gave me a sedative; I guess it hasn't really taken effect yet."

"Oh, I see," he said looking away. He was never good with small talk, especially considering the circumstances. "Well, I'm glad that you're at least—"

He suddenly noticed the serious, steady gaze she wore, and he followed her eyes to what had to be the Reigai bracelet on his wrist. Slowly, she raised her eyes to his without a change in expression although he began to notice the appearance of dark circles. She glanced at her zanpakuto in the corner of the room, but before she could even think of sitting up, she was caught by his words.

"Don't bother. Both you and I know that you barely have the strength to move." She said nothing, but only looked back at him. Was she _scared_ of him? He clenched his fist around the small, red pill. _I couldn't hurt you even if I tried…idiot. _He wanted to tell her, but he never thought that she would ever look at him that way like he had betrayed her. He knew that whatever he was feeling now, was the same feeling his original had felt the day that they—the day that _**he**_—

He didn't know anymore. Before he could get his mind entangled in such a mess, he abruptly removed his zanpakuto from his back and placed it next to her. "Jeez, Hinamori. Now, can you relax? I didn't come here to hurt you."

He saw that Hinamori's expression changed to that of surprise as if the Reigai she had spoken to was really no different from _**him**_; they even had the same tone of voice when annoyed. He was not sure if that should have made him happy or upset, but at least she no longer had her guard up against him. She delicately touched one of the points of the star-shaped hilt and then pressed her palm to the sheath as if to detect its spiritual pressure. "It feels like the original," she said while doing so.

"It's better than the original," he said before he even realized it. He knew she was staring at him again, but he only continued to look at the ground. The thing in his clenched fist was enough to remind him why he really wanted to see her—what he really wanted to tell her.

"Hinamori, what happened to you was because my original wasn't strong enough; both he and I know that. We both want to protect the same thing; however, I've come to realize that he is unfit for the task." Holding her eye contact, he continued. "If it were me…if it were me, this would never have happened to you. You look at me like I'm the one that wants to hurt you, but all I want to do—all that we Reigai strive for is to protect what is dear to us. That is why we have to fight our originals; it is for the sake of the Soul Society."

She was looking down now and remained silent for what felt like eternity. He stood awkwardly at the foot of her bed. _Please, say something._

"I'm an original, too, remember?" He was taken aback at this. "So would you kill me?"

"What are you—?"

"Or would it be _my_ Reigai to do it?" she said raising her face. Her eyes were full of determination, but at the same time, there was sadness. "If that is the goal of the Reigai, then at any time, I could be—"

"No!" He was shaking now. _What is she getting at? She has to be wrong. Kageroza promised me that Hinamori would not have a Reigai. There was no way the scientist would go back on his word, right?_ At any moment he felt that he could shatter that small, red pill in his hand.

Hinamori felt his spiritual pressure fluctuate. As much as she wanted to wait for him to calm down, she knew she did not have enough time left as she felt the sedative begin to take its effect. "I want…you to know…that although we originals are weaker…we work to get stronger so that someday…we won't be tricked by someone we once trusted…or hurt the people we care about…It is the strength we attain with our own hands that keeps us going…"

"But…how do you know that he'll get strong enough? How do you know that _**he**_ won't let this happen again?" he asked desperately.

With her last ounce of energy, she replied, "I think…you know the answer…After all…you're both…my Shiro-chan…"

He stared at her sleeping face as the last words she told him echoed in his mind. She was right; he did know the answer. He went to her bedside and placed the red pill in her hand. It was then that he identified the glimmer at the corner of his eye. On her bedside table lie a small ice sculpture in the shape of a flower; it had not even begun to melt yet. Then, for the first time in his own existence, he felt a small smile creep onto his face. _Beat me again, huh?_

He felt the end approach as he stepped toward the open door with each step feeling lighter than the last. Upon reaching the edge of the balcony, he was engulfed in a cloud of dust that once was a part of him. He barely felt the wind blow past as he stole a final glance at the place he lived to protect.

Then, he was gone.


End file.
